How many children say, “I want to be a manager when I grow up?” I doubt you said this when you were young. I know I didn’t. When I was little, I didn’t have a vision of myself. Without applying myself, I did well enough in school with a B average, as I skated through my academics. I worked my tail off in sports, especially tennis and basketball. I loved these two sports. This passion for sports gave me the foundation for success as an adult; one that I couldn’t have expected all those years ago.

Socialization on the Court
My love of tennis socialized me in team sports. I was passionate about tennis from the fifth grade until ninth grade. During the summer time, I would bike first thing in the morning to the public tennis courts. I’d practice my serves or use the backboard to practice. I’d wait for the lunch crowd, and then play mixed doubles.

After that, I bike home, eat some food, then head back in time for the after work crowd. On some days, I’d pack my lunch, so I could stay at the court until my brother would arrive. Mark and I played mixed doubles against the regulars (adults). We wouldn’t get home until 10:30 pm or so.

Even in the rain, I would hit the tennis courts, since we had Tensor balls that could be used in the rain. We’d watch every tennis event on TV from the U.S. Open to Wimbledon. Bottom line, tennis was my thing, my passion as a kid just like basketball was. Eventually, I had to choose basketball over tennis, but the experience was worth it.

Gotta Have the Gear and Tools
I learned at an early age that you had to have the right tools to do the job. For example, I had my Adidas Stan Smith and Billy Jean King tennis shoes. I had the Wilson Billy Jean King wood tennis racket, and then a Spalding Rosie Casals racket. I carefully maintained all my tennis gear and clothes. We’d buy cases of tennis balls, going through two or three cans a week. Looking back, I’ve always known it’s about having the right tools to be successful. Today, I make sure I have the right laptop, business books, and any other tools that will help me perform in my job. I didn’t realize I was a little knowledge worker and manager in the making.

Basketball, My Team Sport
Because of my older brother (he’s six years older), I learned how to play basketball at an early age. I was probably in second grade when I started playing. We had access to a basketball hoop that was one block from our house, behind a church that was part of its parking lot. I was passionate for the sport from the third grade until I was in my mid-twenties. In fact, I was practicing all the time, until I could try out for the basketball team in fourth grade, making the first string from grades four to six. I worked hard at mastering my left-handed lay-ups with my left hand, so I could make the junior high team. I was already a hard worker and didn’t even know it.

Socialized in Team Sports, Laying the Groundwork for Management
Again, my hard work paid off. I was on first string on the varsity team and co-captain. My regular schedule consisted of getting to school by 7:00 am, killing an hour before school just hanging out. I’d have basketball practice after school. The times would vary, sometimes, I wouldn’t get home until 9:00 pm. I’d start my day all over again, loving every minute of it. My high school basketball experience was nearly identical to my junior high one. I made first string varsity and was co-captain. During the basketball season, I would be on the road traveling at least two days a week to other towns, taking the ferry or flying. I had to manage my school work with my basketball practice schedule and travel schedule. Little did I know, I was learning time management, business travel, and how to work long hours.

Sports and Business Life Skills
Why does this matter? I’ve realized that my basketball experience socialized me in team sports in being a team member and being a leader. I had to work with personalities on and off the court. I had commitment and passion for something that I loved doing, working above and beyond what was required by me. I learned how to lose and how to win. I’ve learned that hard work pays off and sometimes doesn’t pay off. Showing up to practice five days a week takes discipline and commitment.

It taught me how to be graceful in failure and humble in winning. Frankly, I learned pressure and discipline at an early age by having to perform in championship games or free throw competitions. I learned that practice does make perfect. I learned that mastering skills give you knowledge to bring your game up to the next level, to be creative in how you apply your skills, adapting to new situations. All of this provided the perfect environment for me to learn how to be a manager and leader.

Being a Grown Up, Developing Future Managers
Do kids aspire to be managers? No, but they may aspire to be a leader in whatever sport they are playing. I’m a big supporter of exposing children to sports; it gives them life skills that will help them be successful as workers and eventually managers and leaders.

If not sports, then all they need to is to be exposed to anything that they have a passion for. They will collect wonderful experiences as a result of that passion, makeing them productive and effective managers and hopefully leaders.

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